CSU's Sigma Pi Fraternity Shut Down

The fraternity where a 19-year-old Colorado State University student was found dead of an apparent alcohol overdose has been dissolved and will no longer be recognized as a student organization, CSU officials said Thursday.

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The decision was based on several alcohol-related violations discovered during an investigation launched into Samantha Spady's death, university officials said. There are published reports that the 19-year-old Spady had a blood-alcohol level of 0.43 percent, five times the legal limit for driving.

"Sigma Pi infractions included recent incidents of hosting unauthorized parties and serving alcohol at the fraternity house -- which is a violation of university-fraternity rules -- and serving alcohol to minors," said CSU spokesman Tom Milligan.

The Tennessee-based fraternity suspended the CSU chapter earlier this week, saying it wanted to "take control" of the situation and find out exactly what happened.

Sigma Pi's national headquarters and the school's Intrafraternity Council backed the university's decision to terminate CSU chapter, which had 18 members.

"The representatives (of Sigma Pi's national organization) have worked closely with the university to investigate the chapter, take appropriate actions and orchestrate an orderly closure of the fraternity," Milligan said.

More disciplinary action is possible after the police investigation is complete, especially if it is disclosed that a CSU student had provided alcohol to Spady, who is underage. Any university discipline would be in addition to any legal action taken by the district attorney, Milligan said.

Spady's body was found Sunday in an empty lounge by a fraternity member giving a tour of the house to his mother. Authorities believe Spady had already been dead for 12 hours.

Her friends say she was involved in a minor traffic accident Saturday evening and called friends to pick her up. She had been driving in a rain storm and hit a median, causing her tire to blow. Police spokeswoman Rita Davis said Spady's friends indicated she was not drunk when they picked her up.

The student presidents of campus fraternities and sororities are meeting Thursday evening to discuss how to address alcohol abuse in the Greek community.

Students in fraternities and sororities represent approximately 8 percent of the overall student population. Beginning in 1999, newly chartered fraternities on campus must be alcohol-free, and eight of the 19 fraternities (including six new chapters) are alcohol free. All eight sororities are alcohol free.

The university had also announced that it would create a task force to examine CSU's programs and policies in dealing with alcohol abuse. Task force members are being appointed this week.

The task force will closely examine a wide range of issues, including binge drinking, underage drinking among students, as well as the fraternity and sorority system and the overall culture of the institution as part of its charge. The advisory group will include community members as well as faculty, staff and students and will provide an analysis of Colorado State, as well as best practices in alcohol abuse education, intervention and treatment at other institutions around the nation.